Very lovely caramel color with a bite of bitter wood flavoring finish and good alcohol kick that delights one on a cold wintery day. I was quite impressed with the smooth silky feel but noticed very little lace going down which seemed unusual. Very good overall.

Thanks thanks to the only non-digital chainsaw I know, analogchainsaw, for this bottle of my annual genuflection at the altar of Firestone Walker. 22 oz. bottle split with my wife.

Pour is a dark night with a bit of moonlight bouncing around, reddish blackish brownish brackish. Nose isn't especially strong, surprisingly, with vanilla & barrel coming out of the glass, but not much else.

Firestone Walker XVII is like a knee to the nads of expectations. Caramel toffee erupts from the brew, followed by a lighter strain of vanilla, sweet malts, barrel. All very very restrained & polite & I wish they were a bit more obnoxious.

I don't have much to say about this beer except that it's a huge letdown. The anniversary series has been one of the most intriguing, consistent bunch of beers out there, & this is the first beer since X that didn't make my toes curl. Pretty good, but I wish it were XVI. Or XI. Or XIV. Or XIII. Or XII. Or XI. Or X. Dammit.

Another year another barrel-aged treat from Firestone, 22oz bottle $22. I've been drinking these every year since the 10 was first released and I've only been disappointed by the sixteen. These are usually a surefire bet and worth the price tag, I never complain. This one has a lot of Bravo which made me hopeful because I really liked the 11 which was heavy on Bravo. Aroma is boozy, slight wood, sugar, barleywine? Flavor is pretty boozy, some tinges of wood and barrel, a bit of sugar, very easy to drink but a bit thin to be honest. Overall, better than sixteen but one of my least favorite of the series.